Challenge #14: Dumplings

Dumplings are delicious, everybody loves dumplings, the whole world over, and every culture seems to have its own take on these little morsels of yumminess. Parcels of dough, often (but not always) filled with something tasty are firm favourites everywhere. There are Japanese gyoza, Chinese wontons, Polish pierogi, Italian ravioli, Jewish matzah balls, Indian samosas, […]

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Challenge #13: Gravad lax

I bloody love gravadlax and have it far too rarely. Similarly pancakes, dry fruit salad, roll mop herrings – all these kinds of foods related to a specific time of year go unloved for the remaining 11 months, when in fact they would make mealtimes more exciting, and break up my usual go-to foodstuffs. Anyway, […]

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Challenge #13: Gravad lax

Gravadlax, sometimes called Gravlax, is raw, cured salmon. It’s Scandinavian in origin, and the salmon is kept in a mixture of salt, sugar and dill for a few days before being eaten. It’s also delicious.  There’s a general belief that things like this can’t be easily made at home, and so instead, people pay out a small […]

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Challenge #12: Processed Cheese

It was with trepidation that I started this challenge. There was a lot of ‘Oh Dave, what are you doing to me? Why would I make processed cheese? This sounds a bit too chemically and sciencey for me. I just like good solid meal’. But THEN I thought ‘well I suppose I am meant to […]

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Processed Cheese

Challenge #12: Processed Cheese

Cheese. Who doesn’t love cheese? It comes in many varieties and is fabulous on its own, or with crackers or bread. More importantly it’s the basis of so many different comfort foods. Macaroni Cheese, Cheese on toast, Grilled cheese sandwiches, Cheeseburgers, Pizza! The problem with all of these delicious comfort foods is that they all […]

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Challenge #11: Soda bread

And yet again it’s been a really long time. SIX months in fact – that this coincides with the length of time I’ve been in my new job kind of tells you how the transition has been. So finally I planned in a free day at home and after reading that this challenge would be […]

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Soda Bread

Challenge #11: Soda Bread

I rarely buy bread these days, when we have bread, I usually make my own sourdough. The only problem with sourdough is that you have to plan ahead. Making a loaf is a two-day process, so you can’t suddenly think “I fancy a sandwich”, and then start making the bread for it – you will […]

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Challenge #10: Pasty slippers

Well, it’s been a long while. The last few weeks have been completely hectic – all that life brings as well as a bonkers trip from London to Madrid in a rickety classic car, followed by a spectacularly foody time in glorious San Sebastian. Finally I got myself in gear, made some free time one […]

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Cornish Pasty

Challenge #10: Cornish Pasty

The idea of wrapping up meat and vegetables in a dough or pastry and then cooking it is something that is found all over the world, and with very good reason – whether you call them empanadas, calzone, samosas, öçpoçmaq, panzarotti or pastels, these parcels of food are invariably tasty and satisfying. In Britain, we have our own take on […]

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Challenge #9: Kimchi (smells)

I knew nothing about kimchi until Dave presented me with a jar of his home made version. Well, it was delicious, bright red, more-ish, crispy and swiftly became an addition to a lot of my meals at home. It easily spices up what could otherwise be boring, or lifts some delicious to another level. Kimchi […]

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